SS Nieuw Amsterdam: The Darling of the Dutch
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
- Help support this channel with some ship shape merch! www.bigoldboats.com/shop
The SS Nieuw Amsterdam, launched in 1937 by the Holland America Line, quickly became one of the most beloved ocean liners to ever sail the Atlantic. She was beautifully designed, often called the Darling of the Dutch, and designated a ship of peace. But when the Netherlands fell to German occupation in World War 2, she was converted into a troopship for the allied war effort. After the war, she returned to regular passenger service and her beauty earned her wide popularity among travelers for nearly 3 decades.
Instagram: / bigoldboats
Sources:
Andrew Britton - SS Nieuw Amsterdam: amzn.to/39YyiOC
Philip Dawson - The Liner: amzn.to/39UgXX8
John Maxtone-Graham - The Only Way to Cross: amzn.to/3l3kuc6
Video Credits:
Michel Perrin: croisieresetpaquebots.com
Prelinger Archives
US National Archives
Internet Archive
Music:
All music provided by Epidemic Sound: www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
Autonomic Sensations - Deepstate Beta
Jo Wandrini - Act I Fluvial
Nocturnal Spirits - That Second Kiss
Howard Harper - Life in Pieces
Wendel Scherer - Growing Doubt
Mochas - Keflavik
Lofive - Shakedown
Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:56 Chapter 1: Dutch Resurgence
5:11 Chapter 2: Designing the Ship of Peace
7:37 Chapter 3: War & Peace
12:07 Chapter 4: Darling of the Dutch
Disclaimer: Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you. Thank you for supporting my channel so I can continue providing free high-quality historical content.
What do you think? Greatest liner ever? She's near the top for me.
If not the greatest certainly one of the very top! You know she has to be special for Holland America Line to put new boilers in a nearly 30 year old ship at the end of the age of liners.
youve really put an interest in the holland amerika line for me! thanks :)
Wow, she was a beautiful ship. Her lines are just….wow.
Glad to see you back, by the way. I really enjoy the videos and the snark.
Great tribute to a beautiful ship, if I might make a suggestion for a other Dutch liner to cover.
What about the Willem Ruys , the build was started in 1939 ,during the war it lay unfinished on the slipway of my hometown. In the war the water supply in the city got destroyed,the ship used its desalination machine to supply the city with water. In 1944 the city was flooded because of fighting,the ships boats were used to move people and supplies. It was finally launched in 1946 and was sold to a Italian shipping line in 1964.
From that moment on it was called the Achille Lauro , yes that one.
It's an..average liner, essentially THE basic design of ocean liners during the 1930s(aka, short funnels, etc). I like liners as much as the next guy, but this ain't the greatest liner ever.
"She may not have been the largest or the fastest but she was just really good; and sometimes that's all you need."
That's all you need
My uncle served on her from the maiden voyage through the war years until her last , my Father,Mother & I immigrated from the Netherlands to America and came across on the Nieuw Amsterdam in November 1960. I remember some of the crew playing games with me and taking me into the food storage walk in refrigerator for oranges. Back in those days you had to tip everyone as you received services, when we got off the ship in NYC my uncle took us out for a steak dinner and handed my father a pouch with money …..it was a gift from the crew to us ….every tip my father gave was given back to wish us luck in our new home . It brings tears to my eyes remembering that love . Thank you so much for producing this wonder documentary.
Queen Wilhelmina sounds awesome. A head of state investing heavily in her country, what a novel idea!
As a Dutchman and retired ship's captain, this story really touched me. Thanks for this beautiful piece if history!
The investment the German lady did, was Royal Dutch Oil, Shell, not ships!
You captain the flying Dutchman wow big fan of your work😂
It would have been so awesome to have both Rotterdam and Nieuw Amsterdam preserved together as a hotel complex.
I think that about most classic liners, but it’s just not financially viable. Look at the Queen Mary at the minute, the QE2 is lucky that it’s in Dubai where it will have a constant injection of cash. Though I do agree with you, it would have been cool.
Remember we Dutch almost lost the Rotterdam at the final moment, due to faul play, corruption and bad politics.
But she is still among us serving the city she is named after.
@@obelic71 a quick death by scrapping is better than a slow death just sitting there
Yes, but loot at the Queen Marry. If no one is going to invest in her she will sink. It's in a very bad state. So bad that they even considering towing her and scuttle her. That is how bad her state has become. All the ships that have become Hotels after the service suffers the same state. GREED. No maintenance.
I fully agree with Richard Smeets a quick death by scrapping is better then rotting and rusting away of which the SS United States is a good example,look at the sorry state she is in at her pier in Philadelphia what a sorry sight to see,once the flagship of the U.S merchant navy and for sure part of U.S history.
Billions literally Billions are spend on space exploration or oversees wars but a ship like the SSUnited states is neglected and forgotten,all it needs is a $20 million back up from the federal Govt to bring her back to her former glory and put her on a permanent mooring in Lower Manhattan as a hotel ship tourist attraction wedding and conference centre and let her look glamorous as she did before,as that where she belongs and should be for the sake of future generation to follow
3:24 “Ever heard of it? It’s relatively obscure.”
This was a great episode, and I love your injections of dry humor into this series!
I collect redundancies and oxymorons, and have over 100 of them, but not this!
It was 'obscured' by the construction 'gantry's'😊!
Titanic?What was it?A ship?
@@thomasharper4166probably a small ship. Nothing quite significant.
My father played guitar on this ship for the passengers. While there, he met a yellow haired girl, who became my mom. He also met his lifelong friend, Mr. Jones, on board this ship.
My grandmother was named after Queen Wilhelmina, and while not famous, was an equally powerful force. ❤
Cruised on the most recent version of the Nieuw Amsterdam a few years back. I am sure she upholds the proud tradition.
As a person who has been on the Rotterdam and Nieuw Amsterdam, it does carry the Tradition Very good!!!
I was lucky enough to be able to say that I worked on her in 1969 in the capacity of Officers steward and yes she was the most beautiful ship I had ever seen,so elegant so stunning inside and out.
She looked like a real ship due to her streamlined sagging hull and her grand 2 funnels,yes I was on her for nearly 1 year and yes it was a pitty she ended up in Kaohsiung Taiwan as Holland America line needed the money for her value as scrap,it’s a shame she would have looked absolutely stunning moored permanently in front of where the Rotterdam is now at Rijnhaven Rotterdam Harbour,but it wasn’t to be what a shame.
Also worked on the 1959 Rotterdam but I live since 1975 in Australia but each time I return to Holland for family visits I will visit the Rotterdam in her namesake city together with 5 former crew members of which the oldest one is now 95.
It’s great what’s been done with the Rotterdam and I keep supporting her society Friends of Steamship Rotterdam.
I’ll bet you made many happy memories on a ship like this!
Interesting story of a long lived ship. Being profitable in the into late 60s was evidence of the loyalty of her passengers. Thanks.
My uncle was head of first class passenger bookings in NYC and this enabled me to visit the great Holland America Line ships in New York harbor.
While never getting to sail on them these visits left a lasting impression on me as a young boy. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
On September 26, 1987…. Friends and I boarded the old Holland America Lines 1951 Maasdam, for it’s last westbound crossing to Montreal, under the Polish Ocean Line, as their “TS Stefan Batory”. The Maasdam, and sister Ryndam had been midclass tourist ships, for Holland America after WWII.
At the time in 1987, we feared that it would be one of the last classic old ocean liners to do a crossing… and we wanted to experience it. Of course the QE2 was still in operation, but who knew for how long….. we did get to see the QE2 in South Hampton as she prepared to set sail!!
What a thrill do actually do a traditional crossing …… a dream come true!
Thanks for these great remembrances of the glory days…. Most of todays shops look like “Holiday Inns”on a barge!
The first ship I sailed on as an employee of HAL, our crew cabin was below the water line. It was at HAL where i learned to work hard, serve the pasengers as a doctrine. Never felt any regret will always cherish my working memories, later as a passenger I felt abused by the agressive selling techniques of the oriental crew. "Buy one tin of beer on the deck and yoyu will be allowed to take the rest to your cabin" Oh and you got a cap for free! Where are the days that we could shop in Snt Thomas and walk aboard with enough bottles to last us through the rest of the cruise, nowadays all goes through the inspection ment to deter terrorists and screens your illigal purchases of drinks ashore, to ensure you buy them aboard. Oh how i wish that the Holland in the name of the brand was'nt just a spin from Carnival but a return to the roots
Such a wholesome Story. Just a good, basic liner designed for Lining.
Those were the days my friend, I thought it would never end..............................!!!!!!!!!!1 work & sail on it in the 1960's, thank you for the memory of this GRAND OLD DAME!!!!!
Probably one of the most perfectly proportioned liners ever made. This brought back fond memories for me. We took the Nieuw Amsterdam on a transatlantic crossing in August 1968 from NY to Rotterdam with a stop in Southampton. I was just a kid but I remember it well. My father wanted to book passage on the Nieuw Amsterdam because 24 years earlier he had been on this same ship being transported from NY to Scotland on his way to fight in Europe... By the way, we saw the "Thomas Crown Affair" in the movie theater!
A great video about a practically perfect little ship. The Dutch didn't go for the biggest or the fastest, but Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam had some brilliant design details that made them the rivals of any of the great ships of state. Maybe even more successful looking at it objectively as the superliners went to the breakers one by one and the little Dutch ships sailed on.
Considering the Dutch were some of the original pioneers and legends of navigating the ocean, I'm not surprised. :D
@Kaidhicksii and to this day, the Dutch churn out some great ships. And are also building a meme ship for the Portuguese navy lol.
Absolutely amazing. Has to be my second favorite liner. Only surpassed by the SS Stockholm.
My friend and I helped Holland America celebrate its 150th anniversary with an Atlantic Canada cruise on the ZUIDERDAM...we had a marvelous time.
What a beautiful ship. Very balanced and aesthetically pleasing exterior, and a rightly renowned interior.
Thank you for this excellent tribute to the New Amsterdam! I crossed the big pond on this ship in the early 60's and I much enjoyed seeing her again in this video.
Her last voyage date 12•7•73, I remember well. Not for the ships sake, but for mine. I was 12, and later that night, I woke up, and was having trouble breathing, my mom called the ambulance. When leaving our house, they dropped my gurney down, the front steps (this was the days of volunteer, ambulance service). I remember the ride to the hospital. I had come down with bronchial, pneumonia. I recall the next few days, being in an oxygen tent, with nurses standing around me, smoking cigarettes🚬!! What's this got to do with this story? Nothing, it's just my story🙄!!
I own an old 1st class ash tray from this ship. Cool to know i own a little piece of history. It's literally the best designed ash tray in history it's got a handle and all.
My mother, grandmother, brother , and I sailed the Neiuw Amsterdam in early September, 1969. I was only 7 but this video brought back many memories of our trip back from Europe to New York. I too cried at the ending of such a historic and lovely vessel. Thank you for providing such an excellent history.
My parents sailed on her from England to New York I’m back in the early 1960s. I have some wonderful cine footage of the ships interior somewhere in a box that hasn’t been watched for over 40 years.
Very informative and enjoyable to watch. Thanks! This ship truly was "Dutch." Practical, understated, hard working, yet at the same time sophisticated, smart and proud. What a wonderful representation of her country and her people.
She was an elegant ship. I love her proportions.
She was a real beauty. Such an exquisitely balanced design. One of the all-time greatest overall.
I loved this video! I'm from The Netherlands so it was really cool seeing this. She's a beautiful ship, and in my opinion one of the few that really pulls of the grey paint well.
Wonderful Video !! The Nieuw Amsterdam was truly Beautiful ocean liner !! Pride of the Dutch nation. Loved your parting comments! Sometimes” Good “ is enough !!! A point that seems passed over in these modern times!!! Keep up the good work, your videos are Fantastically Entertaining and Intelligent!! This is Easily the best ocean liner blog on RUclips!!
Thank you so much, Michael! Really glad you're enjoying the channel!
Thank you for this great documentary. Makes me proud to be Dutch 😊 Luckily we still have the Rotterdam, which I visited 2 years ago. Amazing and highly recommended 👌😃
I travelled from Liverpool to Halifax on the Statendam as a young boy and remember it well. The family was heading to Canada above the ocean while my father followed suit bringing over the new submarine for the Canadian navy ,The HMCS Ojibwa.
I was on it three times: two Caribbean cruises in the 60s, and a transatlantic in 1970. Dutch crew the first cruise, replaced by a Filipino crew the next voyages. Remember seeing the film "Kind Hearts and Coronets" in the movie theater. She was my favorite ship.
I felt oddly emotional at the end of this one. Thank you.
My parents were born and raised in Rotterdam. Mom was only ten in 1936, but she watched the Nieuw Amsterdam being launched. Dad told me that on April 1st, a few days before the launch, the newspaper had a front-page story that engineers had determined that the ship was too big to be launched into the Maas River and would hit the opposite side so they were going to use huge balloons to lift the incomplete hull off the slipway and deposit it gently in the river. Hundreds of people showed up to see this amazing feat before realizing it was an April Fool's joke. 😄
No frills, just a good ship! My brother and a friend of ours worked on the ship in its last years. They could see exciting places like New York in the late sixties. Many times my mother and I waved the "Nieuw Amsterdam" off from the pier of Hoek of Holland! Thanks so much for this video, brings it all back!
This is awesome. Never knew about this ship, but it’s nice to hear about something designed for everyone and that didn’t have a horribly tragic end.
I get so much joy out of every upload you make. Liner history always fascinates me no matter how big or small and you cover it beautifully. Thank you for all of the hard work!
Why am I crying over a boat in my bathroom at 1 AM?
This video is fantastic, loved every single second of it!! The writing was spot on but the footage could have been a bit better, showing the neutrality markings (just to name an example) would have made it a whole lot better but you described it which does make up for it a bit.
In my opinion, the best ship to have sailed the North Atlantic (and that is not just because I love her), just look at the career she had (even during war time). It's a real shame she was not able to be saved, I really love the Rotterdam but the Nieuw Amsterdam deserved it more since she was pretty much loved by a whole country and she did a good service during the allied war effort and from what I have heard, she carried over 350.000 troops, coming right after both queens on the 3rd spot. Given all this and the fact she already was important during her construction, its almost looks like no attempt was even made. And even today she is still overlooked by the larger/faster ocean liners by the names (to name a few) both Queens, Normandie, SSUS, Bremen and the list goes on.
I hope this video will get lots of views and thus a bit more love for the Darling of the Dutch
What a beautiful tribute to our countries most beloved cruise liner. I've seen her in Rotterdam when my grandmother was boarding in the '50s to see her daughter in the US. Such a beautiful and elegant lady she was! As you said, she was just really good, thanks for the video.
Really glad you enjoyed it and glad to honor such a beautiful ship!
Powered by single reduction geared turbines 😎
When I was a young teenager I remember when I was fishing on my 14' fiberglass flats boat out of the Tampa Shrimp Docks when I was slowly passed by the Nieuw Amsterdam (this was back in roughly 1996 or 1997) and just stopping to watch her pass. I wasn't concerned about the crazy wake from her or the tug that was following her, but I sure was when it got closer! Still, I wonder what happened to that beautiful ship. I'm sure she's been scrapped, but my first cruise when I was 15 was on the Grandeur of the Seas on her 50th voyage and she's still in service! Heck, I still have the VHS with both of my parents on it. I wasn't, but it was my only cruise and I really loved it. The captain even invited me up on the bridge, gave me his hat, and let me steer the ship from the tiny wheel...with autopilot engaged obviously.
My family Kleyweg came over on her to America in 1950..even at only 5yrs old...I remember as beautiful!!!!!!
My mom and two sisters and I traveled on the ship moving from England to Canada by way of NY. Although not many memories of the voyage I do remember it was the first time I ever saw or ate an orange. John Kilsdonk, not sure of the spelling was an officer on the liner and became a life long friend of my parents. Wish I had more memories of this wonderful ocean liner. It will always be special .
Thank you for this. My parents traveled on this ship! Excellent video.
My aunt, uncle, and cousins sailed on the Nieuw Amsterdam in the mid-60s when they moved to the Netherlands for a year.
I saw them off in New York.
The ship then was very much as you describe: modest, cozy, and homelike, more like the Furness Line cruise ship, Queen of Bermuda, in spite of its larger size..
As a youngster, I thought biggest meant best, so was enamored of the Cunard Queens Mary and Elizabeth.
Still, the "Darling of the Dutch" was a beauty and my relatives raved about their crossings to and from Europe.
It wasn’t just the ship, Holland America Line has always had a loyal guest following.
Very nice with your carefully curated content and a presentation style that holds interest. Are you a professional writer I wonder. A lot of archival work went into this. I would have loved this ship, thanks for the telling.
Thank you! I am a writer. Glad to hear you enjoyed it!
A great ship and I was fortunate to sail on her, crossing the Atlantic, 3 times during the sixties.
You emigrated to the #1 nation, but needed 100 flavors of hagelsslag? No Choices? Whnt back, why that?
Rotterdam??? mad video it is...hail who? Royalties?
I recently discovered your channel, and am really enjoying it. Your narratives are always informative and your tone of voice is very relaxing, perfect for talking about the grand ladies of the seas.
I have always been fascinated with things nautical, hailing from the coast of Maine, USA it almost a requirement, and have found many channels and videos about warships, and of course Titanic and other very famous ships, but as far as I know your channel is unique.
My dream trip has always been a trans Atlantic crossing aboard a true ocean liner. Cruising on a barge with a gigantic hotel on top has never held any appeal. My partner and I had planned on flying to Germany (he works for an airline) where we would tour Germany, then board Queen Mary II in Hamburg and make the crossing back to New York ( first class of course hehe). Unfortunately I was diagnosed with a tumor in my head and neck and was forced to retire with a major reduction in income.
I didn't want my partner to spend his life in rural Maine caring for me, so while I returned home, he went to Houston and received a nice promotion with his airline.
I have survived longer than i expected and i enjoy looking out on t hff e Atlantic ocean and thinking about a trans Atlantic crossing. A channel like yours helps the dream, so thank you for taking the time to bring us these stories. I look forward to your next sailing .
Thank you for this informative video! Love all the footage. The Nieuw Amsterdam is also featured in the movie ON THE WATERFRONT (1954).
I didn’t know that. I’ll have to rewatch
as a small kid i recall sitting with my folks and siblings sitting on the banks of the nieuwe waterweg or maasvlakte en watching the huge (to me) ships go by, i do not recall names, my dad had 0 interest in ships, he was there to fish.
the Hal went from a powerhouse to a part of carnival cruises, but it keeps sailing under the proud dutch flag.
Note to creator: Statendam is another interesting ship with history. (i also still have the booklet published in the 80's about the HAL with all kinds of data)
It's a dutch thing, not the biggest, not the fastest, not the most glamorous but the most loved, and Nieuw Amsterdam was all that !
Pure elegance 👍
It’s my understanding that this ship is the model for the current Hollland America Line logo. I remember being on Holland America in the 1980s and 90s and meeting older people who had traveled on Holland America in the WWII and they’d talk about the ship doing zig zags to cross the ocean. Some of the artwork from this ship is still onboard Holland America’s ship ( ie Four Seasons )
Holland America Line is still a great cruise line. Very traditional and excellent service. Currently for the entertainment on the ships is the Holland America Origin Story, which also covers this. If you’ve never cruised on Holland America, I highly recommend it, especially for Alaska
Thanks for posting this excellent video
What an elegant giant
This video is actually genuinely underated and damm and why do the music near the start actually sound like the dramatic irony from honkai star rail. ❤😂🎉
Nice video but what happened to some videos such as the Normandie's one?
What a wonderful ship
i went to a bon voyage party onboard her in 1969. she was beautiful.
Did you know that Mr. Reuchlin, the CEO of the Holland America Line became a victim on the maiden voyage of the Titanic in 1912?
What a beautiful ship, and even better lifetime!!!
thoroughly enjoy your videos, a fellow new yorker too
thanks for the great post of a great lady! I remeber this beauty in San Juan February 1973
She was a beautiful lady. Beautiful history and more than a little poignant towards her latter years. Sort of like I feel at times. Thank you for sharing her with me.
This video was very informative and well presented. It's also very neat. Overall this is a great video!!!! Looking forward for more content like this!!!
Love this ship!!!!
Dad, grandparents, and even my great aunt and uncle chose to emigrate to the USA during the summer of 1955. This beautiful ship provided the transport, lol. Amazing! (It is to me, anyway)
In fact, my great grandparents came over the year before, onboard another storied liner -; the “Ile De France.” Amazing video, love to see these ships getting some the well-deserved attention they deserve!
Great job as always!~
LOVE these videos. Thank you so much for making them!
Thank you!!
Fascinating, thank you
I love these video's. Keep the great work up. 👍
I love your channel !
I have a video topic suggestion: The story of Royal Mail Lines's greatest ship, the RMS Andes. She was a 1939 ocean liner also meant for cruising, she had a career like no other, she started her career in ww2 as a troop transport.
great work on the videos, i appreciate the time you spend on the script and historical footage/editing
Very well done video. Thank you.
Very enjoyable, thank you!
Fantastic job as usual! I always look forward to more videos from you. Keep up the amazing work and thank you.
I’ve been cruising with Holland America for years, sailed on the old Rotterdam and just returned from a transatlantic on the brand new Rotterdam
What a fantastic video! Thank you so much for this quality documentary-worthy material
As usual you have done such a nice job and help to not only keep the record straight but to make the story so interesting , Thanks again
Loved this video, I have ties to this ship so it was so nice to see it represented so well here
Great video, I’ve heard about this vessel, thanks.
Very nice video...and informative! I have enjoyed all of your videos and appreciate the effort you put into them. Thank you!
beauty indeed
Wonderful video, enjoyed it a lot your narrative was spot on. Thank you.
Wonderful!! I love the background you give and the context in which these ships are working. History and ships are my favourite subjects so you’ve got hooked!!
Great job and thanks for all your hard work and research!! 😊👌
Love your videos... So informative and interesting! Happy to have stumbled across your account :)
LOVE this story!!
I love the respectful, sweet tone of your pieces. I am a huge ship fan and want to thank you for treatment of these grand old ladies of the sea...
I have several menus from the Nieuw Amsterdam, along with several vintage postcards. Great video on this beautiful ocean liner.
Stunning images. Thank you for the video. Enjoy your day!
I listen to your stories over and over and still find myself engrossed in your telling of the ships and the crews, captains and passengers. You’ve done so much research that each story is as good as the first. I’ll always be waiting for more. Thank you very much.
Another well done video story. Such a great ship. I got to see her only once. It was a glittering autumn day, she was sailing out of NY harbor, and we got to see her from the hill in St George and the ferry terminal ❤️❤️
On 8 November 1971 SS Nieuw Amsterdam departed from Rotterdam for her final North Atlantic crossing. I was, with my parents and siblings, in the crowd watching from the Parkkade. It was a windy, rainy day.
On the 9th of january 1974, she made her final passenger voyage. A farewell cruise to LA. She had already been pulled out of service and docked by december, but such were the fond memories of both passengers and crew, that they paid their respects by sailing her one last time....
Fantastic video as always. Do you have a patreon by any chance? These productions values are far too good, to not have a way to show our appreciation haha
glad to be part of the premiere and being the 3rd commenter! amazing ship btw
Love history ♥
Wonderful video! Thanks for the background of HAL. It's always my favourite cruise line. Every ship I have been on has been consistent with this philosophy.
P.S...I was in Kaowshung Taiwan at the Breakers ..Saw the NA being broke up.Henrys scrap bought al lthe brass.🚢⚓